Season 3 Drabbles
by anthfan
Summary: Collection for all drabbles written for season 3 episodes. Chapters are standalone stories and are not connected.
1. Chapter 1-3x01-trailer

**A/N: It's that time again. First trailer for season 3 has been released along with the plot bunnies. 3x01 spoilers ahead, read at your own risk!**

**Follow, Favorite, Enjoy. And let me know what you think! **

He'd had easy for twenty-two years. Every moment of his life until the Gambit had gone down had been literally handed to him on a silver platter. And then the storm had come and he'd drowned in it. And nothing was easy after that.

After five years of blood and death and unspeakable things he knew he didn't deserve easy, he didn't deserve good. He was a tool, a weapon. He'd been honed by an Australian mercenary and a team of Chinese martial arts experts, and an American agent to become a machine. When he'd returned to Starling he knew it was time and he thought he could tow the line. He thought he'd be able to keep his head down, focused on his mission.

A notebook and the names it contained. Simple.

Then there was a busted laptop, and a bodyguard turned brother, another archer and a sister too far down the rabbit hole.

And then there was Felicity Smoak.

She blew his mission right out of the water. Turned his world upside down and challenged him right from the start, leaving him reeling and rethinking and wondering if he could ever be something else.

She was the first one that called him hero, that believed in something beyond a battered book full of names. She put on his mask and saw behind it. She slipped her way in, quiet and loud all at once until he couldn't blink without seeing her.

Then he used her as bait to take down the last man he thought could be alive. And he loved. The machine he'd been turned into fell apart like scrap metal in a junkyard, nothing more than detritus covered in rust. In it's wake was Oliver Queen, the man he'd never knew he could be again.

She found him. She'd honed this version. But with dimples, and gentle touches, and head tilts that said 'do you really expect me to believe that', instead of pain and torture. She made him smile, and want, and believe.

And now she lay before him bleeding and silent because he thought for a few moments that he could have easy again.

He was wrong.


	2. Chapter 2-3x01 explosion

**A/N: Another one! Spoilers for 3x01 ahead! You've been warned! **

This was all new territory for both of them. He couldn't ever remember being nervous on a date before and she didn't quite know how to spend time with him when there weren't federal databases that needed to be hacked. But they both muddled through. Halfway through their meal he slipped her phone from her hand and assured her that Digg and Roy were fine without them for a few hours. After that things had turned around.

When he'd asked if she wanted to go back to his place he just meant for a glass of wine and a quiet atmosphere, but her cheeks had filled with color with the other implications it could have meant and then he was the one stammering and saying he didn't mean it _like that._

She'd just held her clutch tighter and stepped a little closer to look up at him through her lashes and asked "Why not?"

His heart actually flipped and he gulped. She didn't miss a thing and lifted an extra inch on her toes to press her lips just above his collar.

He felt the mark of her kiss on his skin all the way back to his new place. Her left hand was firmly ensconced in his right and he didn't let it go until he pulled into the driveway of the secluded house on a bluff he'd bought three months earlier.

His eyes kept darting to hers as they made their way up the steps. She was smiling almost constantly and he found he was too.

The overly modern floor plan was as different from the mansion as one could get and he found he liked it. It was simple, easy, and offered him unobstructed views of almost the entire ground floor which put him at ease.

She wandered into the living area, shedding her coat and dropping it across the back of the couch along with her bag and the tie he'd removed as soon as they'd left the restaurant as he headed into the kitchen.

"Wine alright?" he asked and she hummed her agreement,

A short laugh from her made him raise his head and look over, taking his attention away from the bottle he was preparing to open.

"What's so funny?"

She turned and pointed to the glass topped coffee table in the middle of the room, "I was laughing at your presumption that I'd end up back here tonight. Were you feeling lucky, Mr. Queen?"

In the center of the table was a present; silver wrapping with a large green bow atop it, a folded piece of paper hanging off the front.

He hadn't bought her a present.

Time seemed to slow as his thoughts spun from confusion to fear in the space of a second, but it was a second too long.

He remembered watching the way her dress rode up the back as she bent over to flip up the card to read the inside.

He remembered vaulting over the counter, clearing the wine glasses but not the bottle.

He remembered hearing it crash to the floor behind him.

He remembered not being able to read what the note said but clearly seeing who it was from. The flowing script of the signature scrawled out '_Vertigo'._

He remembered the flash of heat and sound and light as he was blown backwards just as his fingers closed around her arm.

There was blackness and then confusion. His ears rung, leaving him disoriented and dizzy as he blinked his eyes rapidly, the smoke that filled the room burning them fiercely. Then red filled his vision and he found himself reaching for her. But the red wasn't from her dress. It was from the blood that ran down the side of her face, disappearing into her dress and staining her hair.

Felicity lay crumpled at his side, one of his legs thrown over hers and she wasn't moving.

Gritting his teeth he pushed up on one arm and brushed now matted hair out of her face, fingers streaking through black soot that marred her skin. He was shaking as he felt for her pulse and collapsed forward, coming to rest against her shoulder when he found it.

The smoke was getting thicker and some distant part of his brain knew he had to get her out. With one arm wrapped around her middle he stayed low and began to pull her away from the worst of the damage. A coughing fit overtook him when they reached the foyer and his knees cracked against the marble as he fell to the floor.

White spots dancing in his vision he barely had the presence of mind to pull his phone from his pocket. As the world began to go dark he didn't remember calling Digg. All he remembered was that he'd failed to keep her safe.

He woke up in the back of the van to Digg shouting instructions at Roy, who had Felicity sprawled across his lap, a towel pressed to her head.

"Felicity!" his voice was rough and hoarse, and it made his lungs burn but it didn't keep him from throwing himself upright and reaching for her.

"Welcome back, boss," Roy said tersely, barely taking his eyes off of Felicity,

"Digg?" he needed to know. He had to know how bad it was, because it looked bad and she had to be okay. He found her pulse again, letting the backs of his knuckles trail across his cheek, not even noticing he had an audience.

"She'll be alright, Oliver. Just looks like some glass from the table hit her and the force of the blast knocked her out," Digg answered,

"What the hell happened?" Roy asked and was immediately reprimanded by Digg,

"Not now, we'll deal with that later,"

"But that note-"

"Not. Now. Harper!" Digg bit out in a growl as he pulled up outside the back entrance to the lair and Oliver was too focused on Felicity to ask what he was talking about.

When the back doors opened Oliver slid out on unsteady legs but ignored it all as he turned back and held out his arms. Roy only shifted his eyes over to Digg for a second before he sighed heavily and handed her over.

He felt hands on his back as he took the first halting steps and then it was all a blur until he placed her on the table. The table she was never supposed to be on because she was never supposed to be hurt.

White noise filled his head as he braced his hands on the edge and tried to keep himself upright. He never wanted this for her.

Digg and Roy's voices sounded like they were coming at him from underwater, low and muted and neither of them asked him to move, just worked around him.

Digg was starting an I.V in her left hand when Oliver looked down and saw her earring was missing. Suddenly it was the only thing that mattered.

"Her earring's gone," he mumbled, barely audible, but they'd heard him and froze,

"Oliver-"

"Her earring's gone," he repeated as if confused. It had been there earlier. He'd remembered how it had caught the candlelight at the restaurant as she'd laughed about something. They'd danced around the smooth column of her neck, making him look at the delicate expanse of skin there and wonder if he'd get to taste it later.

"It's Felicity boss, she's got a hundred pair," Roy's words were meant to be reassuring but they sent a flare of anger up his spine and he lifted enraged eyes to the kid across the table who had the good sense to step back.

"Oliver, she's got another wound to her abdomen, probably a piece of glass that got dislodged."

He nodded with a lump in his throat and watched dazed as Digg lifted scissors to the bottom hem of her dress.

As the dress was cut off of her he was reminded of how it unzipped in the back. All the way down. It was the first thing he'd noticed when she'd turned around to grab her bag when he'd picked her up at her place and he couldn't help but think of how easy it would be to rid her of the garment.

When a matching red lace bra and underwear set came into view he only had a moment to wonder if she'd chosen them with him in mind, if she'd wondered whether he'd get to see them that night. Whatever had been her intention he knew she'd hadn't thought he'd see them like this.

Roy stood by with a blanket that Digg used to cover her as best he could and still access her injury.

Oliver let his mind go blank. He knew he should be helping. He knew he should be doing something. But all he could seem to do was stand there staring down at her.

His head slowly rose when he heard Digg tell Roy to grab a suture kit. "Just a few stitches, not as bad as it looks,"

"Another scar," he muttered, and turned back, unable to look away from the blood that was now drying on her face.

He finally reacted when Roy began to clean her off with a wet cloth. He took it from the kid without a word. The wound in her hairline was small and had already begun to clot and even though every pass across her skin erased the blood and soot he knew he'd see it vividly and in full detail every time he shut his eyes.

It was later when things were supposed to be getting better that it all went to hell.

She'd been cleaned and patched up, although there was still an oxygen mask on her face and an I.V running into her hand. Oliver hadn't moved from her side. Digg had eventually pushed a chair beneath him and forced him to sit while he removed his ruined jacket and cleaned the wounds in his back he didn't even know were there. Roy was unnaturally quiet, just silently handed him wipes to clean up his hands and the grey hoodie to slip on as they waited for her to wake up.

Then he handed him a charred piece of paper and there was an explosion of noise when Digg erupted.

"He needed to know!" Roy roared back, but retreated to the other side of the table as if Felicity could still offer him some form of protection even though she was unconscious.

It was the paper that had been taped to the bomb masquerading as present he realized as his stomach dropped. The front said '_To: Felicity' _and what was written inside made his blood run cold.

'_Wishing you an EXPLOSIVE end to your first date. Tell the Arrow I'll be seeing him soon~ Vertigo'_

He handed the paper behind him, not even noticing if Digg took it or if it fell from his hand.

Then he stared at the woman before him and for took her hand in his.

They'd been so close.

But he wouldn't risk her life, not for something as insignificant as his happiness.

What made him cover his eyes and press hard against the hot sting of tears was how he knew she'd understand. She'd look up at him with a wide, hurting gaze and give him a sad smile and nothing else would have to be said.

He thought he could be happy. With her.

He'd always been a fool.


	3. Chapter 3-3x01-The Dress

**A/N: Spoilers for 3x01! Just a reminder this is a collection of stories I will be adding to throughout the 3rd season. Each chapter is separate and stands alone. **

**That being said...theres a chance this one will get a follow up but if that does happen I'll post it as it's own story. :) **

**If you've read the first two drabbles for this season then you know they were angst heavy. I owed you a little something different. **

**Hope you enjoy! **

Dinner had gone well. Really well. She was still more than a little surprised by that fact. Sure there had been some awkwardness at first on both their parts, but it was just Oliver.

Just Oliver. That had multiple meanings and she was aware of each and every one of them.

He'd opened up to her; willingly shared a secret from his past she hadn't known before. It had been shocking but he said he didn't want to move forward without her knowing everything. So she'd sat back and listened.

Eventually she offered up some secrets of her own and he'd been just as attentive and supportive as she knew he would be.

The food was fabulous, the wine even better, and as they creeped closer and closer to dessert there were more smiles and lingering looks, even if her nerves were beginning to make themselves known.

Which was why they weren't even out the door when she found herself asking if he wanted to go back to her place.

He'd paused, door held open a few seconds too long before he smiled and nodded. She ducked her head and hid behind a fall of hair for a moment and when she looked up he'd offered her his arm. She took it without pause as they walked slowly in unspoken agreement, as if they both wanted to drag out the night as long as possible.

She was nervous when they arrived at her townhouse, the key refusing to cooperate at first. And then he'd spun her around, threaded a hand through her hair to cup her head and kissed her.

The keys fell to the ground forgotten as her toes curled in her heels. She pressed into him, moaning when she felt his tongue glide along the seam of her lips seeking entrance. He tasted like chocolate and wine and when she stroked her tongue against his, fingers dig into her hip in response.

She was left lightheaded and her heart was beating much too fast when he pulled back.

"Thought maybe we should get that out of the way,"

She could only nod her agreement, barely noticing when he leaned down to pick up the keys and dropped them into her hand. Hands that were no longer shaking she was forced to acknowledge as she unlocked the door in one try and moved to punch in her security code.

Calm, collected, sure of himself Oliver Queen was going to be the death of her.

Felicity blew out a long, controlled breath as she made her way through the foyer and into the dark kitchen. The soft snick of the door closing let her know he was right behind her and she took her time setting her clutch on the counter and slipping her heels off to join a pile of others that had yet to make it to her closet.

"I like your place, it's very you," he said, far closer than she expected and when she turned and pressed into the slab of granite at her back she hissed at the unexpected cold and arched away. She didn't miss the way his eyes dropped to her chest or how much taller he was than her now.

The air seemed to still between them and some distant part of her brain told her she was licking her lips far too much and she should stop but somehow the command never actually made it to her mouth.

"Wine! We should have some more. I'll get it, you can go...sit." she didn't wait to see if he listened, just pivoted on her heel and made her way to the wine rack tucked into the corner, glasses hanging under the cabinets.

They'd had an amazing night, and he'd already kissed her so she didn't know why her stomach was constantly flipping or why her pulse was so fast.

By the time she'd selected the bottle and poured two glasses she had some semblance of control. She took a hefty swallow and turned to find him still in the kitchen casually leaning against the doorway, one hand in his pocket.

He'd never left.

"Shit," she muttered under her breath and took another drink, this one longer with her eyes locked on his.

With smooth, cat-like grace he effortlessly pushed off the wall and made his way towards her, taking the glasses from her hands and sitting them down on the center island without a word.

"I'm going to need that." she protested but he just smiled down at her and dropped his hand to span her waist, fingers quietly playing with the small peplum flair.

"Have I told you how much I enjoyed tonight? And how gorgeous you look,"

"Um, you did mention one of those things when you picked me up," somehow even though he was now closer her nerves began to dissipate, much like they had after he kissed her,

"Red is definitely your color,"

"Not green?" she asked automatically and froze when she saw his eyes darken, and felt him tug her towards him just a little bit.

"Wear green on our third date,"

"Oh, there's going to be a third date is there? You're so sure?" she couldn't help tease, delighting in the way his eyes lit up in response,

"Isn't there a third date rule, or is that not done anymore?"

"I don't think you have ever abided by any rules when it came to dating." she retorted, "And the statute of limitations of you not knowing things because of your time away has probably expired."

Then her eyes went wide and her mind went blank when she realized exactly what he meant by third dates, and rules, and the significance of her wearing green.

He smiled proudly, more of a smirk if she was honest and she knew there was a flush creeping up her neck.

She cleared her throat and swallowed hard while he waited patiently, although the way his fingers continued to draw small abstract designs on her hip was very distracting.

"But this dress…does it come in green, because...the zipper…" he trailed off purposely and she threw him a mock surprised look,

"Oh, you noticed that did you," she said as she turned and pretended to look over her own shoulder, the hand at her waist following across her lower back as she did.

"I notice a lot,"

Her stomach flipped at the low, slow way he said it and her momentary bravado failed. His hand tightened not allowing her to turn back and her breath caught when he swept her hair to the side to lay over one shoulder.

"Does this unzip from the top or the bottom?"

"Um...either I think,"

"That's very...helpful,"

One finger followed the line of the straps, trailing along the spaces where her skin was left bare making her shiver. He made his way from her left shoulder to the center of her back and then up towards her right. However, he never made it all the way and when he stepped closer and ran his thumb around a particular spot she almost swayed as she realized he was focused on her scar.

She wasn't expecting to feel the hot touch of his mouth on her flesh. The groan that came from low in her throat was unexpected. Her hand flailed out to grab the counter for support as he slid a hand around her waist to splay over her middle.

But she didn't need the counter for long. She was grateful for his arms around her as he turned her a split second before his mouth dropped to hers.

This kiss was different than the one they'd shared on her doorstep. This left her heart flipping, and sparks of electricity shooting down her spine and straight to her core. She moaned into his mouth and heard him reply in kind when she slid her hands up his chest.

They were both panting when they broke apart and her eyes fluttered shut when he ran his thumb along her lower lip.

"I should go," he murmured, but his hands kept moving and the way he held her made her think he didn't actually want to leave.

"You don't have to, you know," she was breathless and flustered and would have let him follow her to her bedroom in an instant.

His head bowed to meet hers and she felt his struggle, "I just want to do this with you and I want to do it right," he whispered before brushing a hot kiss across her temple.

"Okay," she replied, still dizzy from his kisses and the knowledge that this was actually happening.

She let her fingers scrape through his stubble and into his hair before she pulled back to look at him, "Third date though. I'll be the one wearing green,"

"Maybe I will too,"

An image of him in his green leathers, her in a green dress as he pressed her into a concrete pillar in the lair assaulted her mind and she audibly gasped as a swirl of desire struck her hard and fast.

She held his hand, fingers entwined until they reached her door where he told her goodnight. Her lips still burned from their final kiss, and as she watched him walk towards his car she knew they were both thinking about that third date.


	4. Chapter 4-3x01-Always Another Way

**A/N: Just a reminder chapters are standalone. Spoilers for 3x01.**

**This is me working out my speculation for the importance of the new Count, Vertigo in 3x01 and the catalyst I think he's going to be to keeping these two beautiful idiots apart the majority of the season. **

**Angst ahead. You've been warned. **

**Let me know what you think!**

"This isn't going to work,"

The words tasted like dust in his mouth and the hurt gasp that escaped her lips cut him like a knife.

"Oliver-" she began, voice broken and tired and as much as he knew she needed to rest he had to do it then. It couldn't wait.

"This isn't going to work even though I wish it could,"

"Oh,"

"Last year I swore to do things different, for Tommy and because I wanted to be better,"

"And you did," she sounded confused, and wounded.

"Except for the Count," he raised his eyes then and held hers, watching with his heart breaking as she blinked rapidly and failed to keep her tears at bay,

"But...you said...you said there was no choice," the single step she took away from him made him freeze,

"There wasn't. That was the problem,"

The words float for a second between them before their weightiness defies gravity and they plummet heavy, and full. That time her eyes went wide, mouth falling open but nothing came out.

"I killed for you. Because I love you and there will never be a choice. I will always choose you." and he knew it, in his soul. No regrets.

The understanding that slowly began to fill her face was almost his undoing.

"You were targeted because you were with me. Someone tried to hurt _you _to get to me. And I can't ever allow that to happen again," he bit off, the rage he'd felt earlier threatening to consume him once again and that's how he knew he had to do this even if it would be the hardest thing he'd ever done. "I would have killed Vertigo tonight. I wanted to. I still do. And that scares me."

Her head was shaking though and he could already hear her arguments, already hear how she would try to convince him otherwise.

In a flash he'd moved, taking her by the arms and pulling her flush against him as he towered over her. "No! I would have torn him apart. I would have done things to him that would have made you sick. You think you know all of me but you don't and there is a reason for that!" the anger, and desperation, and dark, hollow, need he had for her to understand left him trembling, "Anyone who tries to kill you is dead. And if I go down that road again I may never come back,"

Both of them breathed in ragged gasps as he loosened his hold and let his forehead fall to meet hers, hot tears burning his eyes.

"There's always another way," she said weakly,

"Not with you, never with you,"

He held her as she cried and mourned what couldn't be. It was her cool hand against his cheek that made him pull back and look at her.

"I know you think this is the only option, but maybe one day we'll find another way," her ever present hopefulness filled his chest and not for the first time he wondered how he'd ever been so lucky to have her in his life.

But he couldn't agree with her.


	5. 3x01-Kiss

****

**A/N: SPOILERS! Do not read any further if you don't want to be majorly spoiled for 3x01!**

**Very short, very quick drabble about the two second clip from the new promo. Had to be done. ENJOY!**

"First babies can take over twenty four hours of labor before they arrive. I looked that up after I found out Lyla was pregnant. Do you think it'll take that long? I mean both her parents are military and her mother is practically running a top secret government agency, and we all know what a stickler Digg is to the schedule. Punctuality should be her middle name." Felicity stopped for a breath and then scrunched her nose, ignoring just how close Oliver was to her. His hand was even on her arm. "You don't think they'll name her 'Punctuality' do you? That would be a terrible name. I thought they were going to name her after Lyla's grandmother or-."

The hand at her arm had slid around to her lower back and was putting soft but firm pressure there to the point that she had to either shift forward or push against him. As if they had minds of their own her feet inched closer until she could feel the rough material of his jeans against her bare legs.

He was staring down at her with a look of loving bemusement that made his eyes light up. The air in her lungs caught at the sight because Oliver looked happy. Truly and genuinely happy.

When his hands found their familiar spot at her elbows she gulped and gave him a small smile, "That's a lot of pressure though. Naming someone. They're stuck with that for the rest of their lives, and that could…" she trailed off because somehow, for some reason she wasn't truly comprehending his palms now cupped her face.

She was sure her heart had stopped, or maybe it was going so fast she couldn't tell one beat from another.

Oliver leaned in, thumbs gently brushing over her cheeks, "Felicity, you're going to need to stop talking now," he said so low, and so tenderly her heart flipped,

"I...I am?" she managed to gasp out,

He smiled then, the one he saved for her, "I can't kiss you if you're talking,"

Her last conscious thought was, 'Oh'.


	6. Chapter 6-3x01-Marking Territory

**A/N: Quick fun little thing based off the new trailer for season 3. Once I noticed those kids hanging around at Felicity's new job I had to write this. Spoilers for 3x01! Enjoy, and drop me a line letting me know what you think! **

"John, there's an illegal shipment of RPGs headed your way,"

"I'm on it,"

She typed faster, eyes scanning the _one_ monitor before her as her frustration levels grew. It was a simple op, one they'd done dozens of times before but she'd never had to guide her team from the work room of Tech Village of all places.

It didn't help that the kids were back again. They'd walked in ten minutes after her shift had started and she half wondered if they'd somehow learned her work schedule.

The group of four boys were as awkward and nerdy and young as they could possibly be. They'd stammer through simple tech questions that she knew they could answer themselves and she'd patiently played along because unfortunately Oliver still hadn't regained Queen Consolidated and she needed to pay her rent on time. Part of her felt for them and she thought it was sweet that they were so enamoured with her they kept finding excuses to come in when she was there.

However, that night they'd sunk to a new low. She'd actually watched on the security cameras as they'd stomped all over a perfectly good tablet on the sidewalk outside the store before they'd brought it in and asked if she could fix it.

Dealing with teenage crushes was not how she wanted to be spending her time. Not when Oliver was taking her out that night.

Every time she thought about it her stomach danced and her heart flipped. Which was why she'd used her loud voice on the boys and told them to wait at the counter and not move while she went to look for something. In reality she knew they'd do whatever she told them to and she needed to get Oliver and the team through their mission as quickly and safely as possible so she could get out of there and go on their date.

Whenever she'd look over her shoulder the boys were right where she'd left them, craning their necks for a glimpse of her and she knew she'd have to get them out there soon or risk them delaying her leaving.

So focused on the mission and the rest of the night she almost missed Oliver's next words.

"Do you like Italian?"

"What?"

"For tonight? You like Italian right? Everyone likes Italian."

Her lips curled for a second as she heard his eager, almost nervous tone, "Oliver you're in the middle of a high speed chase!"

"I'm multitasking,"

She didn't have to see him to know exactly which grin was on his face at that moment and it sent a flush of heat straight through her.

"Just...focus, please,"

"But you never told me if you liked Italian,"

"Oh for the love of god, Barbie tell the man you like Italian so he'll shut up about it!" Roy roared,

"I second that," Digg supplied drolly and she tried to sputter out a response,

"Fine, yes, Italian sounds great, but you'd better not ask me to make the reservation, I'm no longer your EA,"

He chuckled, "I wouldn't dream of it," then in an instant his entire demeanor had shifted, "I've got eyes on them, Arsenal, take the west side."

"Two heat signatures just entered the building where you are and...three more are about to go in," she added as she swapped between feeds,

"We really need to plan these on my days off," she muttered under her breath,

There was a grunt and the sound of metal scraping making her wince, "I'll keep that in mind," Oliver said through the voice distorter,

"Be careful," she whispered even though there was no need and flicked her eyes back to the counter to see with a sigh the boys hadn't given up and left,

Twenty minutes later Felicity was lecturing her misguided admirers about how to properly take care of their tablet while she listened to the team finish up the mission successfully. She thought maybe talking to the boys like they were children could be a helpful tactic to getting them to leave her alone but they seemed to be in rapt attention while she talked, nodding mutely and agreeing to everything she said.

Somehow she'd gotten so distracted in trying everything she could to get the boys to realize they didn't have a shot that she'd missed when Oliver and the others headed back to the lair. She also missed when he'd been silent for longer than usual.

The bravest of the crew leaning all over her counter cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses before his buddy gave him a not so subtle elbow. "Could you...um...that is...maybe you should send it a text message so we know it works,"

However, before she could reply a deep, slightly sinister, slight amused voice she knew all too well came from her left.

"Nice try gentlemen, but you're not getting her number."

It was Oliver and he had his shit eating grin going at full force with just enough teeth showing to make the boys audibly gulp.

"Oliver! What are you doing here?" she tapped her earpiece, wondering if it was faulty, "I get off in twenty minutes and then I have exactly two hours to get ready before we go out. For Italian apparently,"

"I decided I couldn't wait to see you," this time his smile was just for her and she knew her cheeks were going pink,

"But apparently I've interrupted," his tone was leading and he turned that wolfish look back on the boys who looked like they didn't know whether to freeze or run,

"Oliver," she said warningly, "They're harmless, they're in here all the time,"

His brows lifted and he shifted closer, bracing his arms on the counter as he leaned on it in direct imitation of how the boys had been standing. He appeared to be relaxed but she knew better.

"All the time? Is that so?" slowly he flexed his powerful forearms, shirt rolled up to just below his elbows which allowed for an unencumbered view of the muscles rippling beneath the skin, "Seems to me that intelligent young men such as yourselves could probably fix most computer problems on your own. There couldn't possibly be another reason why you're in here so much, could there?"

His question sounded innocent but the boys couldn't take their eyes off his arms. She saw one of them with his lips moving silently and she had a sneaking suspicion he was calculating the force of Oliver's grip and how much psi his hands could generate.

They didn't say another word, just grabbed their busted tablet and scurried as fast as they could for the door.

"Was that really necessary?" she asked, folding her arms across her middle.

"They were harassing you," he countered as he stood and watched through the window as their car peeled from the parking lot,

"If I couldn't handle four high school aged nerds I'd have never survived M.I.T." her tone held just enough mystery that Oliver's head whipped back to look at her,

"What does that mean?"

A sly smile crept across her face, "I don't know Mr. Queen, maybe tonight is the sort of night where secrets are revealed."

"I look forward to it,"


	7. Chapter 7-3x-01-post ep

**A/N: SPOILERS for 3x01 if you haven't seen it already. **

**Yes this is angsty. How could it not be? **

**Enjoy! **

She'd known it was coming.

She'd known since they stood on the steps outside of Queen Consolidated earlier that day. Hearing him say those damning words to John in the foundry later hadn't been necessary.

So when they'd walked out of the hospital room and he spoke the phrase she knew was their death knell she couldn't help but try and fight it even though she knew she'd already lost.

Then he'd said the one thing that haunted her.

_maybe_.

And it wasn't fair. 'Maybe' meant hope. 'Maybe' meant someday. 'Maybe' meant it could be possible.

She couldn't live with that sort of liminality, not with him, not with what they did.

She knew it would break his heart as much as it would break hers when she demanded that he say never. But even if it wasn't true, even if it was a front it would be something definitive, something she could cling to and use as she tried to move past.

Felicity forgot one very important thing however. And when his lips stole her breath she remembered.

Oliver had never been able to lie to her.

For one brief beautiful second none of it mattered. All she knew was him.

She knew what it was like to be loved by Oliver Queen.

It was when their breaths mingled, lips still brushing against one another, both of them unwilling to part that it all rushed back and her heart twisted in grief.

He couldn't give her what she needed because he couldn't give himself what he wanted.

They were stuck in a purgatory of their own making.

She pulled back, pulled away, leaving him with empty hands as her traitorous fingers stole up to cover her lips because they were the only part of her that was still warm.

By the time she got to her car she was numb. She didn't remember driving home. Didn't remember unlocking her door or placing her bag and coat on her couch.

She did remember breaking down in the shower, finally allowing herself that small window of time in which to grieve. His final words were burned into her soul, '_Don't ask me to say I don't love you'_

It left her breathless and made her heart clench every time she recalled how he'd sounded. She knew that no matter how hard she tried to move on, a part of her would always hold on to that hope, that possibility, even when it hurt.

She slept fitfully and finally gave up around five. Dressed and ready for a job she didn't actually have, she was sitting hollowly on her couch when the phone rang.

Oliver.

With shaking fingers she answered, not knowing what she'd hear.

However, everything that had happened between them vanished when she heard his rough, ragged breaths and the pain in his voice.

"_It's Sara." _


	8. Chapter 8-3x02-Lance

**A/N: Because Detective Lance had a right to know, and Felicity always tells the hard truths.**

Felicity was nervous as she waited by the entrance to the cemetery, two cups of lukewarm coffee clutched in her cold hands as she shifted from one foot to the other in an attempt to bring circulation back to her frozen feet.

He pulled to the curb ten minutes late, brows already drawn in concern and confusion. He'd undoubtedly recognized the address she'd texted him, asking her to meet him there that afternoon and had nothing but questions.

But when he approached, collar of his overcoat flipped up, hands shoved deep in his pockets he didn't say a word and she gulped, wondering for the hundredth time if she was making the right decision.

Her silence stretched on and finally he cocked his head and looked down at her, "Ms. Smoak, I've never known for you to be at a loss for words. I assume one of these is for me?"

He slid one of the cups from her and took a sip, grimacing at the taste and before she could protest plucked the other one from her as well to toss in a nearby trashcan.

"Now that we're past that, how 'bout you tell me why you brought me here."

His voice was even but she could hear the underlying strain and saw the way his eyes kept flicking over her right shoulder in the direction of Sara's grave.

"There's something I need to show you, Detective," she said as calmly as she could manage and before she could second guess herself she turned and began to walk, confident he'd follow.

In the past month Felicity had found herself visiting every few days and then suddenly one day a bench had appeared. She knew it had been Oliver's doing but she never mentioned it and neither did he. She'd never run into him but she knew by the fresh flowers he'd been there as well.

Lance's breath caught when he saw the bench, Felicity's eyes immediately filling with tears at the pain she was about to cause him. He didn't say a word as they approached but she could feel the mounting dread and she wondered if part of him didn't already know.

They sat side by side, staring at the headstone with the right name, but the wrong date.

"Why are we here, Ms. Smoak?" his words were hollow, causing a fist to tighten around her heart because _he knew, _he knew what had happened, but he was going to make her say it. Empirical evidence trumped everything.

"We're here because...because you had a right to know." she said sadly, "And I'm...I'm so so sorry."

The shuddering, raw exhale he made tore at her gut, tears dripping freely down her cheeks.

"She's...my baby girl...she's really there now, isn't she?"

All she could do was nod her head, throat too clogged to speak.

"Oh god,"

He sucked in a breath, his pain palpable and as much as she wanted to offer him comfort she didn't know how.

"Oh, Sara…" his mournful cry broke her, hot splashes coating the inside of her glasses but she didn't need to see. She knew exactly what her friend's grave looked like.

"How long?"

"A month."

"A month?! She's been here a month and no one saw fit to tell me!" she felt him leap to his feet and her head whipped to the right to see him pacing angrily in front of her, eyes never leaving the grave.

"It...it wasn't my place to tell." she stammered.

"Well you're telling me now, aren't you?" he replied angrily.

"Because you had a right to know! And I couldn't keep doing this! I couldn't keep coming here to talk to her and tell her what we were doing and know that you had no idea! I've had people walk out of my life and never return. The unknown is torture and I couldn't...I couldn't let you keep thinking she was alive."

She didn't know when she'd stood, just that she was only a few feet away as he turned hurt, wet eyes on her.

"Laurel? She knows?"

Felicity just bit her lip and dipped her chin, watching as he rubbed both hands over his closely shaved head and then scrubbed them across his face.

"She was worried...about your health...she-" but she didn't know what else to say, she'd never agreed with Laurel's reasoning.

He muttered something under his breath and moved closer, dropping to one knee to grip the headstone tight.

"I knew...I knew when she went off on that boat she wasn't coming back to me. I got one miracle but I knew if she left again…"

"She was a hero," Felicity said fiercely, "I know I didn't know her very long but I loved her."

He wiped a hand across his face and she saw his head bow, "Who did it?"

"We don't know yet. We thought it was Lacroix but...it wasn't." this was the part she'd dreaded the most; telling him they hadn't caught her killer.

After that he was silent and after a few minutes she moved backwards to sink onto the bench, not knowing if she should leave him to mourn or stay.

When he finally did rise he looked liked he'd aged ten years and a spike of fear ran through her, wondering if Laurel's concern hadn't been proven true.

"Thank you," he said low and quiet before walking past her without looking back.

Felicity waited until she knew her numb legs could hold her and made her way back to the lair, still unsure of how she'd tell Oliver and more importantly, Laurel what she'd done.

With her stomach in knots she shakily descended the stairs to find the space empty. Grateful, she almost fell into her chair and tried to keep busy.

Three hours later the sharp metallic bang of the upper door crashing off the wall made her jump and she instantly knew what was about to happen.

"How dare you!" Laurel's enraged voice filled the lair and Felicity shrank, shoulders dipping down for a second before she slowly turned in her chair to face her. "It was not your place! You had no right to tell him! That was my decision as the only family he has left! How dare you!"

She was furious. Red faced, tear streaked, eyes blazing with righteous anger she'd never quite quelled since Sara's death.

"Laurel...I-"

"No! I don't care what you have to say. You had no right!"

"He needed to know, Laurel. He was her father-"

"He's my father too!" she screeched,

"I'm sorry I upset you,"

"You upset him! The man who barely survived earlier this year and takes daily medication to stay alive. That's who you told that his daughter was dead. And if anything happens to him his blood is on your hands!"

Felicity gasped, stunned at her words, guilt rising within her.

"That's enough, Laurel."

Oliver's voice came from the shadows and both women spun to see him emerge from the darkness.

"No! Don't you come to her defense, Ollie!" she spat, finger pointed his direction.

"Laurel...I know you think you were protecting him."

"Yes, because I have to. Someone has to!" she stated angrily, whipping her head back to rage at Felicity again, "And you...sticking your nose where it doesn't belong. You need to learn how to stay out of things that don't concern you." it was the hateful, bitter tone that made Felicity gasp. She'd thought for awhile that she and Laurel might be able to become friends, but she was seeing the truth now.

Oliver took two more steps forward until he was between the two of them. She could see the long, tense line of his back, the way two fingers rubbed his thumb before he spoke. "She did the right thing. She did what you should have done a month ago, like I told you."

Laurel scoffed, angrily brushing away tears, "Of course you take her side. God forbid I get anyone anymore." she spun and had made it to the bottom of the stairs before she turned and locked her flashing eyes on Felicity, "I hope you're happy."

She didn't know what to say as she sat there stunned and hurt even though she'd known how Laurel was going to react.

"Thank you," he rasped and she stared at him in disbelief.

"What?"

"You did what she couldn't do...what I couldn't do. But it needed to be done." and when he turned her heart seized in her chest because his eyes...suddenly they weren't talking about Quentin.

It had been a month of careful conversations, of not getting too close, of finding their new normal and she'd hated every second.

She'd done what she had to. It didn't mean it hadn't hurt. It didn't mean she didn't wonder every day if she'd done the right thing. But he'd left her no choice. She loved him too much to let him drag her down with him and destroy any chance they had. She'd be on the other side though if he ever decided to join her, but it was up to him to leave the darkness behind.

There were glimmers though. Not enough to convince her yet. Not enough for her to say maybe because she couldn't live on that. But she thought she saw it when John brought baby Sara around. Just a glimpse.

"The bench...its nice," she said in reply and he looked honestly surprised, as if he hadn't thought she'd notice. "I go see her on Thursdays during lunch."

The invitation was out before she knew what she was offering and his tight, controlled nod let her know he probably had been aware of that all along.

Silently she gathered her things and left, resisting the urge to run her hand along his arm as she brushed by him.

Two days later she stopped by the same deli she always did and grabbed a salad before walking to the cemetery. It was cool but sunny and she wasn't hurt when the bench sat empty. As she ate, she talked, telling Sara how angry Laurel had been, how she hadn't been back to the lair since that night, but how the Detective had brought her a coffee that morning to make up for the one he'd thrown away and she knew that regardless of how things turned out with her and Laurel, he at least didn't blame her.

She'd already packed her trash away and was enjoying the warmth of the sun on her bare legs when the space next to her was suddenly filled. The breath caught in her lungs because she knew without turning that it was Oliver.

He didn't say a word, and neither did she. But when he reached over to take her hand the knot around her heart loosened just a bit.


	9. Chapter 9-3x03

**A/N: Little missing scene from 3x03 I thought was needed. Thanks for reading and please let me know what you think! **

The boys had only been gone three days, sixty eight hours to be precise, but she'd felt their absence even if there were moments where it seemed like they had never left. The surreal experience of trying to field multiple phone calls with her brand new boss standing only a few feet away was something she hoped not to have to repeat.

Keeping busy with recovering data from the hard drive she was technically responsible for destroying had been helpful, but every time her thoughts strayed they went to Oliver.

Being in his office, their office, now her office meant that everywhere she looked she could still feel his presence. So much had happened within those glass walls, things she'd never forget and things she wished she could.

Jerry had dropped a pitcher of water five minutes after she'd arrived her second day. She had only just made her way to her desk when the sound of glass shattering reverberated off the marble floors.

She froze, panic slicing through her as she was caught up in the memories. The boardroom being shot up. Oliver grabbing her as they jumped through the window. The feel of the Count's hands as they squeezed her shoulders right before he shot Oliver.

By the time she came back to herself with wobbly knees and a pounding heart Jerry was apologizing repeatedly as he mopped up the mess, none the wiser to her momentary flashback.

After lunch she'd walked off the elevator, distracted by looking up the information Digg had requested on her tablet and gone straight to her old desk. That had resulted in an awkward exchange with her new EA that she hoped would never happen again.

But no matter how much she told herself this was good for her and her career and maybe even her heart she still couldn't help but look for Oliver every time she peered through the glass.

They'd barely had a chance to be alone since he'd kissed her and told her in the most backwards way ever that he loved her but they couldn't be together. She'd only had a few hours to even attempt to process what had happened before they'd learned Sara had died. After that it had all been a blur of tears and angry words and feeling like something inside her chest had been broken.

And then he'd left for Corto Maltese. And she'd moved into her new office and the chair that she swore still held a trace of his cologne even if Isabel Rochev was technically the last QC CEO to use it.

After she'd recovered the data Ray wanted she'd spent the rest of the day tracking their flight, and making sure they made it back through customs alright. All four of them. She was glad Thea had returned, Oliver needed a win, badly.

She expected him to let her know when he got in but her phone remained silent and instead of sad she was suddenly angry. So she told Ray she needed a few days off. Barry was awake and a new hero seemed to be popping up in Central City which she found incredibly coincidental. A visit to get some answers in person seemed to be the most obvious choice.

But there was one last thing she needed to do.

The foundry was quiet when she arrived and as she listened to her heels echo off the metal stairs she wondered if she'd even find him there and if maybe that wouldn't be for the best. However, when she made it to the bottom she saw him methodically restocking his arrows, as if he hadn't flown ten hours to make it home.

"Oh hey, you're back. Thanks for letting me know. Appreciate that." she said with more snark than she had intended.

His shoulders sagged just an inch as she moved past him, eyes set on her bank of monitors. She just intended on setting up some alerts so she could monitor things from Central City and then she'd be gone.

"You knew we were back," he replied without turning, and she resolutely kept her back to him as she began to type.

"Did I? How? Oh that's right, because I hacked into Homeland Security and saw that you were processed through US Customs four hours ago."

"I'm sorry...it's been…"

She could hear how tired he was, knew he'd probably not slept a second on the flight back but she was angry and she wasn't going to let him off easy this time. So like ripping off a bandaid she decided to get straight to what she needed to tell him.

"I'm going to Central City for a few days." she said suddenly, knowing she'd taken him by surprise, "I know he's awake. I know he's this...Streak. But I need for him to tell me himself." No need to clarify who 'he' was.

His head whipped around at that, unreadable expression on his face.

"Oh. But I guess you already knew that, huh?" she couldn't help the hurt that seeped into her voice.

"Felicity-"

"Don't. It wasn't your secret to tell. I know."

"There was never a good time to tell you!" he countered, finally setting the last arrow he held down on the nearest table to cross the distance between them, "He called me seconds after you walked away at the hospital and then Sara died. So tell me when was a good time to tell you about Barry."

"I don't know, Oliver but people do seem to be enjoying telling me things lately without me even getting a say so. You seem to have it down to a science. Ray's practically an expert. Laurel's treating me like her personal assistant which is sort of ironic since I have one of those of my own now. Along with your old office. Isn't that just the kicker. So yeah, excuse me if I think you could have maybe found a few minutes to mention that Barry had woken up and could break the sound barrier now."

She watched as he struggled to understand everything she'd just dumped on him and part of her wanted to do nothing more than to turn back to her monitors and leave him to flounder. But the way he'd visibly flinched when she'd alluded to what he'd said to her in that hallway tore at her heart. Because as much as it had hurt her, she knew he hurt just as much, and watching him deliberately keep himself from having the life she knew he wanted was unbearable.

"You have an assistant?"

The dry, humorless laugh that escaped her throat took them both by surprise. Because of course that's what he would choose to comment on.

"His name is Jerry. And he doesn't have an aversion to getting coffee."

There was a trace of a smile, gone almost before it was there, but it let a bit of the knot under her breastbone loosen just a little.

"You deserve it." he said quickly, "You deserve every good thing."

With that she was on her feet and tugging on her coat because if she didn't busy herself somehow she'd start crying and she'd done enough of that recently. Oliver in martyr mode when it came to her was not something she was able to handle just then.

He didn't say another word as she gathered her things, but she felt his eyes on her.

"I'll be back in a few days," she said in a choked voice as she brushed by him, and when his hand caught the inside of her elbow she gasped loud enough to fill the space, the spark of electricity even through two layers of fabric sending a jolt down her spine.

They both froze, the air between them stilling because this was the first time they'd touched since their lips had parted and it was suddenly impossible to breathe.

"Don't, Oliver. Not right now." she managed to say between clenched teeth, needing space and needing it fast. If not she didn't know what could happen.

He released her slowly and she felt the drag of each finger until they'd all fallen away, and only then did she force her weak legs to move.

She'd made it all the way to the first landing before she paused and turned around, knowing that he knew each footfall brought her closer but not knowing why. When she reached his side she felt in her coat pocket until she found the slim card she'd been looking for and laid it down next to him.

It was a non descript key card, no markings, and she waited patiently while he picked it up and turned it around before holding it aloft with two fingers and a questioning look.

"It'll access the executive levels. In case you ever need it."

A flurry of emotions crossed his eyes but the one she recognized instantly was relief.

"I'll be back in a few days," she repeated, holding his gaze for another second before she forced herself to leave.

"Thank you," he called out once she'd hit the stairs again and she gripped the rail tight but didn't look back.

"Your name's still on the building. Also...things tend to happen in that office, seemed like you should have it."

And with that she raised her chin and began to climb.


End file.
